Using iPads to bridge communication gap with dolphins

The iPad may indeed be "magical" if, as research scientist Jack Kassewitz …

Research scientist Jack Kassewitz has found that the iPad's touch-based interface is so intuitive that even some nonhuman species can use it. In this case, that species happens to be dolphins. Kassewitz is using iPads with custom-developed software to help facilitate two-way communication between humans and dolphins.

Kassewitz has worked for years studying the behavior and communication patterns of dolphins. Numerous studies on dolphin language show signs of advanced intelligence, and it is believed that the high-frequency sounds dolphins make underwater are capable of communicating information that is holographic in nature. Since humans don't communicate natively with holograms, Kassewitz is currently working on a project to build a symbolic language that dolphins and humans can use to communicate with one another.

Kassewitz searched for nearly two years to find a touchscreen device that dolphins could reliably activate with their rostrum (or beak), while still being powerful enough to record or play back the high frequency sounds associated with dolphin language and durable enough to work in underwater environments. He had originally settled on the Panasonic Toughbook, but recently began evaluating the iPad as an alternative.

The iPad is suited to Kassewitz's research in a number of ways. "It's small and lightweight," Kassewitz told Ars. "It's very forgiving. For example, if I turn it the 'wrong' way, it turns itself back the 'right' way. And the iPhone OS system is fast—more than fast enough for my use."

Kassewitz is currently using a sealable bag that protects the iPad underwater to depths of a few feet, though he is also working with Otterbox to make something more robust and with better anti-glare capabilities to make it easier for the dolphins to see the screen. Bluetooth allows him to connect to speakers to "hear" the underwater dolphin speech, and he can view a spectrograph of the sounds on the iPad's screen.

Kassewitz is also taking advantage of the undocumented USB audio capabilities of the iPad Camera Connection Kit to interface with some specialized audio recording equipment. He uses a series of underwater microphones (or hydrophones) to record the unique sound patterns of dolphin speech made while interacting with the iPad, to try and determine what patterns are associated with symbols displayed on the screen. "We think that once the dolphins get the hang of the touchscreen, we can let them choose from a wide assortment of symbols to represent objects, actions, and even emotions," Kassewitz said. He believes that his team will then be able to develop a rudimentary symbolic language.

"I've been doing this for a long time, just trying to understand dolphins as a species," Kassewitz told Ars. "One of the things I am convinced of is that dolphins are as frustrated with us as we are with them in terms of attempting to have some kind of cross-species communication."

The first step in building that system of communication is a very simple game wherein a dolphin named Merlin is shown an object, such as a ball or a rubber duck. (Kassewitz told us that dolphins respond well to the color yellow.) Then Merlin has to point to an image of the object on the iPad's screen, selecting it with his rostrum.

"Games are a relatively simple way to build an understanding between two animals—humans included," Kassewitz told Ars. "Games require agreements to work, and agreements require some high-level thinking." Ultimately, Kassewitz will build a library of symbols that dolphins can recognize that form the basis of "a complete language interface between humans and dolphins."

Kassewitz's research team will conduct more tests this July, pitting the Toughbook directly against the iPad to determine which platform will be used going forward. However, he believes that the iPad's size and weight advantage may prove to be the deciding factor. "We could use two or three iPads showing different sets of images, and the dolphin would be able to choose among them," he said.

"One of the things I am convinced of is that dolphins are as frustrated with us as we are with them in terms of attempting to have some kind of cross-species communication."

I hate that we as humans are that arrogant to think for some reason a dolphin is "frustrated" that it cant "talk" to us

Actually, Kassewitz had a very nice anecdote to explain why he thought this, though I ended up leaving it out because it seemed quite tangental to the focus of the article. However, and I'm paraphrasing here, the gist is that Kassewitz was recently working with one of his dolphins named Jupiter. Kassewitz was using an underwater HD camera rig to film the dolphin, while the dolphin had its own compact video camera rig that it can hold in its mouth and film with as well—it even has a display that the dolphin can monitor. At one point, Jupiter dropped his camera. He then went to Kassewitz, and for 25 minutes got right in his face and was "vocalizing." Kassewitz believes that Jupiter was trying to tell him something about the dropped camera.

It's not definitive scientific proof, but I'm willing to trust the perceptions of someone that has dedicated his life to learning to communicate with dolphins.

Kassewitz seems like he is paid by Apple.For the purpose of product endorsement not to his fellow scientists, but to regular people.

Yes, of course...anyone that would do this must be a paid shill or a fanboy. "Normal" people certainly wouldn't use Apple products, am I right? This has to be totally made up crap...just like I don't believe for a moment they've sold over 2 million of these things. Yeah, right....they tried to fool me about the moon landings too but we all know the truth about that too, am I right jdietz?

People like you and me know the truth about Apple. We have to make sure everyone knows our displeasure at them and the people that use their products. They certainly aren't like WE are, am I right brother? They're not gonna fool us. We're not "sheeple"...and I bet the dolphins wouldn't use any Apple products either. They're obviously OSS fans. I saw one wearing a Cory Doctorow tee-shirt once and they all smell similar Stallman, so you KNOW the truth!

"One of the things I am convinced of is that dolphins are as frustrated with us as we are with them in terms of attempting to have some kind of cross-species communication."

I hate that we as humans are that arrogant to think for some reason a dolphin is "frustrated" that it cant "talk" to us

You don't think it's arrogant to assume that we're the only animals capable of the curiosity required to want to communicate cross-species? And that we're the only ones capable of frustration due to failed attempts?

So, when a dolphin talks to another one about a fish. We believe they are actually sending an image of the fish and not just a symbolic word like we do? Interesting thought right there. I mean I know that humans think in images also. When I think of a fish, I see it in my mind...I guess Dolphins are just able to use the better medium they are in to streamline the transfer of data between entities.

I do find this fascinating as Dolphins can understand us in ways we can not really understand each other. Dolphin Therapy being one example. Now who knows...may be we can finally have a Dolphin Universal translator...heh.

As someone who spent a couple of years doing serious (i.e. at a university, and funded by people like the government, and reviewed by the scientific community) cognitive research with dolphins, I am amazed that things like this continue to get play. First people wanted teach them to speak English (never mind the lack of vocal chords or air passage to palate - and they still got Scott to make a movie about it), then many, many efforts to get them to use keyboards. But dolphins don't type. They use sounds. You know, Flipper and echolocation and signature whistles and stuff?

I love my iPad. It's cool. It's shiny. It's The Latest Thing.

But we can't all be Colbert. I don't use my iPad as a hammer, or skateboard, or frisbee (well, it does actually work as a frisbee. Sort of.)

One thing that I always wonder about when it comes to highly niche iPad/iPhone apps like this is do these people have to publish their apps in the App Store when they only want to use it themselves? Do they have random people downloading and using their software?

As someone who spent a couple of years doing serious (i.e. at a university, and funded by people like the government, and reviewed by the scientific community) cognitive research with dolphins, I am amazed that things like this continue to get play. First people wanted teach them to speak English (never mind the lack of vocal chords or air passage to palate - and they still got Scott to make a movie about it), then many, many efforts to get them to use keyboards. But dolphins don't type. They use sounds. You know, Flipper and echolocation and signature whistles and stuff?

And humans don't have wings or gills. We are fortunate enough to be able to figure out how to work around that to go into the air and deep into the water.

Don't focus on the iPad thingy so much. The idea of sharing our tools with other species and seeing what they can do with them is wonderful.

Back to the iPad - be glad it was an iPad and not an AK-47. Although I am sure the dolphins could figure that out cuz they are just too cool

Kassewitz seems like he is paid by Apple.For the purpose of product endorsement not to his fellow scientists, but to regular people.

Yes, of course...anyone that would do this must be a paid shill or a fanboy. "Normal" people certainly wouldn't use Apple products, am I right? This has to be totally made up crap...just like I don't believe for a moment they've sold over 2 million of these things. Yeah, right....they tried to fool me about the moon landings too but we all know the truth about that too, am I right jdietz?

People like you and me know the truth about Apple. We have to make sure everyone knows our displeasure at them and the people that use their products. They certainly aren't like WE are, am I right brother? They're not gonna fool us. We're not "sheeple"...and I bet the dolphins wouldn't use any Apple products either. They're obviously OSS fans. I saw one wearing a Cory Doctorow tee-shirt once and they all smell similar Stallman, so you KNOW the truth!

Research scientist Jack Kassewitz has found that the iPad's touch-based interface is so intuitive that even some nonhuman species can use it. In this case, that species happens to be dolphins. Kassewitz is using iPads with custom-developed software to help facilitate two-way communication between humans and dolphins.

What in the heck kind of reporting is this?

You say the the iPad's interface is intuitive and then say he used CUSTOM software to communicate with dolphins?

He could have just as easily used ANY touch based computer, smartphone, or tablet and had the same response because (shocker alert!) its CUSTOM software.

And saying its small, lightweight, has a working accelerometer, and is "fast" does not mean that the iPad is the guys only choice. Sheesh.

Actually, Kassewitz had a very nice anecdote to explain why he thought this, though I ended up leaving it out because it seemed quite tangental to the focus of the article. However, and I'm paraphrasing here, the gist is that Kassewitz was recently working with one of his dolphins named Jupiter. Kassewitz was using an underwater HD camera rig to film the dolphin, while the dolphin had its own compact video camera rig that it can hold in its mouth and film with as well—it even has a display that the dolphin can monitor. At one point, Jupiter dropped his camera. He then went to Kassewitz, and for 25 minutes got right in his face and was "vocalizing." Kassewitz believes that Jupiter was trying to tell him something about the dropped camera.

It's not definitive scientific proof, but I'm willing to trust the perceptions of someone that has dedicated his life to learning to communicate with dolphins.

As someone who spent a couple of years doing serious (i.e. at a university, and funded by people like the government, and reviewed by the scientific community) cognitive research with dolphins, I am amazed that things like this continue to get play. First people wanted teach them to speak English (never mind the lack of vocal chords or air passage to palate - and they still got Scott to make a movie about it), then many, many efforts to get them to use keyboards. But dolphins don't type. They use sounds. You know, Flipper and echolocation and signature whistles and stuff?

I love my iPad. It's cool. It's shiny. It's The Latest Thing.

But we can't all be Colbert. I don't use my iPad as a hammer, or skateboard, or frisbee (well, it does actually work as a frisbee. Sort of.)

Well said, I think any tablet/slate type computer with a sensitive enough touch-screen display, a webcam, a mic and an accelerometer would easily have accomplished what the iPad has done in the article, perhaps even more, since other devices are not so locked down like this amazing iPad device we all love so much.

I haven't read about it before or anything, but how do they do this? Do they communicate by imitating the impulse answer of their "sonars" on objects? How would they communicate abstract concepts, then? How do they feel about the "great whale in the sky"? ;-)

Edit: please forgive my inquisitiveness, but this is all kinds of awesome.

I hate that we as humans are that arrogant to think for some reason a dolphin is "frustrated" that it cant "talk" to us

...Kassewitz was using an underwater HD camera rig to film the dolphin, while the dolphin had its own compact video camera rig that it can hold in its mouth and film with as well—it even has a display that the dolphin can monitor. At one point, Jupiter dropped his camera. He then went to Kassewitz, and for 25 minutes got right in his face and was "vocalizing." Kassewitz believes that Jupiter was trying to tell him something about the dropped camera.

Definitely vocalizing frustration. Sounds like camera envy to me. After all K used a HD model and all Flipper got was a compact ...

I would consider it very presumptious to assume only humans would be interested in interspecies communication and hence frustration by lack of a decent method. Just my 5c (inflation added).

Now you've done it. Don't say I didn't warn you. At this point, I guess I'll spare you some time and point out this awesome video of Iggy the cat showing his artistic side:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Tqy56tHFeQ